Dancing and Planting

My newest design 'Dance of the Bees' was released yesterday. Yesterday was also my 9 month anniversary. I was telling Tina (from Shepherd's Bush) today that my first patterns were released on a Friday the 13th so it must be a lucky day. I met Sharon Crescent today she is in Utah for the quilt market in Salt Lake. Unfortunately I couldn't sleep well last night and took a sleeping pill which is still affecting me today. I'm sure the impression I left was of some slurred speech, tired eye drunk. haha.

I hope everyone is enjoying the weekend. I've been picking weeds and mowing the lawn. Lots of work but the yard really looks nice now.

Wendy's Owl

I made this for my friend Wendy. She has been stitching a lot of birds lately and asked when I was going to make one. This is a freebie on my website.Ship's Manor

If you like this pattern please thank Wendy, at her blog, for getting me to make this.

http://craftybasenji.blogspot.com/

The Apple Picker

Now available in the May issue of The Gift of Stitching. I am excited to share this pattern with all of my friends, and maybe soon-to-be friends, in this magazine. I hope, while you stitch it, you think of hot summer days, lemonade, and of crisp apples picked from the tree. I remember when I was a kid and how in our back yard we had all kinds of fruit trees. I don't think there is anything better than sitting up in a tree eating it's fruit.

http://www.thegiftofstitching.com/latestissue.php

All patterns 20% off at 123 stitch!

Just wanted to let everyone know that all of my designs are on sale right now at 123. Now is the time to get them, if you haven't already. Please share this information with everyone you know!

http://www.123stitch.com/Cross_Stitch_Patterns_Kits_Ships_Manor.html

Dance of the Bees

This is the "secret" design. I really had a hard time putting it down. I actually miss stitching it. It is called "Dance of the Bees". Like most designs it would look good on almost any colored fabric. I used Tobacco colored linen and various silks. I also used a yellow metallic. Of course, the design will come with a conversion chart for DMC threads and will look great stitched with them. So, here it is!

Gift of Stitching

I am going to be in the May issue of The Gift of Stitching! There will be a brand new, never before seen Ship's Manor pattern in it. TGOS is an online magazine that you subscribe to, like a paper mag, and then download the issue at the first of the month. Check it out, sign up and look for a new design, by me, in the May issue. http://www.thegiftofstitching.com/

 I am also planning on releasing two new designs in May. One of them is done and the model is stitched. The other is currently being stitched and should be finished within the next week or so. They are both around 100x100 stitches. Just big enough to keep you busy during the summer but nothing daunting. 

So, I hope you enjoy my design in the magazine and check back here often for more exciting news!

It's a secret

I normally have a design in my head for months before I finish it. I'm telling ya...this is not normal. I was just sitting around the other day looking at my old art pictures and an idea popped into my head. "Hey, that would make a great stitch design!"  Of course it needed a lot of changes and had to be scaled down to a good size. Just out of nowhere my hands started flying and all these colors swam through my head. I had a new design in front of me and I had no idea where it came from. The last time this happened I designed 'Eventide Flora'. Eventide took me months to stitch because I kept putting it away to stitch something else. My newest "secret" design is almost done. I can't put it down. I haven't even shared it with family/ friends yet. I am obsessed with finishing this design.

Now, that you know what I have been up to...I have a question for you. Have you ever stitched something that you had a hard time putting down? A design so fascinating and fun that you couldn't wait to see what came next? Tell me about it!  I don't want to be the only one. LOL